Over 6 million international tourists visit Abu Dhabi, Dubai from Jan to March

Dubai: A total of 6.04 million international tourists visited Abu Dhabi and Dubai during the first three months of the year, a growth of 1.8 percent on year, figures from the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) showed.

Dubai received 4.75 million from January to March compared to 4.65 million during the same period last year, with tourist arrivals to Abu Dhabi also rising from 1.28 million to 1.29 million.

According to the CBUAE's figures, 52 percent of the tourists who visited Dubai during the period stayed in the emirate's hotels, with those staying in the capital's hotels up 0.5 percent during Q1 compared to the same period last year.

Despite the increase in the number of tourist arrivals in Dubai from January to March as compared to the same period last year, hotel revenues declined per room as a result of the constant discounts and offers provided by the emirate's hotels.

Tourists coming in from some source markets increased, with Omanis coming on top with a 27.1 percent growth, France placed second with a 17.5 percent increase in arrivals, followed by China (13.2 percent), Germany (5.2 percent), and the US (3.3 percent). Arrivals from Russia, India, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Pakistan decreased.

Most of the Dubai-bound tourists cane from other GCC, Middle Eastern and North African countries, accounting for 27 percent, 17 percent, and 10 percent respectively of the emirate's total foreign arrivals. Western Europe and North America comprised 23 percent and 7 percent respectively while South Asian visitors represented 16 percent.

US tourists who came to Abu Dhabi during the aforementioned period rose by 13.8 percent, followed by Egyptians at 9.7 percent, Jordanians (8.2 percent), and Pakistanis (6.5 percent).